Notre-Dame de Paris

The cathedral of Notre-Dame is located in Paris, France. Though the construction of the cathedral was completed in the 1300s, it did, and continues to serve as a great historical importance. A significant role that the cathedral played in the romantic era was that it housed the coronation of Napoleon Bonaparte as Emperor of the French. A controversial coronation by an essentially self-appointed "divine ruler" happened in the midst of romanticism. Napoleon is a notorious figure who reigned during peak romantic years. 

Notre Dame

Source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Notre-Dame-de-Paris

Parent Map

Romanticism: A Class Map

Coordinates

Latitude: 48.856614000000
Longitude: 2.352221900000

Timeline of Events Associated with Notre-Dame de Paris

Date Event Manage

The Coronation of Napoleon Bonaparte

The Reign of Terror
2 Dec 1804

Napoleon Bonaparte's Coronation

Napoleon Bonaparte was coronated in Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on December 2, 1804 as Emperor of the French. Bonaparte was a notorious war general who establish dominance of France through a coup. Napoleon wanted power and wanted to ensure that his reign would be taken seriously. When Napoleon staged the coup in 1799, it led to the end of the French Revolution.  This period of time serves as a buffer between the pre-romantic and romantic eras. Napoleon had a senate that he chose entirely himself. This led to the senate votes going in Napoleon's favor by a landslide. His senate is who gave him the title of Emperor of the French. Napoleon essentially threatened Pope Pius VII into officiating his coronation. He wanted the Pope to officiate the coronation, so that it was different, and in terms better, than the coronations of the Kings of France. It was French tradition is that the monarchs ruled by divine right: God's will. Bonaparte knew the significance of ruling by divine right, and insisted that he gets the same treatment. Napoleon also crowning his wife Josephine as Empress, which is a title not used by the French at this point in a very long time.